Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 49

Devanagari script

नाभिं स्पृशेदच्युतेन जनार्दनेन वक्षसि । हरिणा विष्णुनांसौ च वैष्णावाचमनं त्विदम् ॥ ४९ ॥

Transliteration

nābhiṃ spṛśedacyutena janārdanena vakṣasi | hariṇā viṣṇunāṃsau ca vaiṣṇāvācamanaṃ tvidam || 49 ||

Translation

“അച്യുത” എന്നു ജപിച്ച് നാഭി സ്പർശിക്കണം, “ജനാർദന” എന്നു പറഞ്ഞ് വക്ഷസ്ഥലം; “ഹരി”യും “വിഷ്ണു”വും എന്നു പറഞ്ഞ് ഇരുഭുജങ്ങളും സ്പർശിക്കണം—ഇതാണ് വൈഷ്ണവ ആചമനവിധി.

Word by Word

• नाभिम्: navel
• नाभिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: नाभि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन

• स्पृशेत्: should touch
• स्पृशेत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: स्पृश् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• अच्युतेन: with/by Acyuta
• अच्युतेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अच्युत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन

• जनार्दनेन: with/by Janārdana
• जनार्दनेन: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनार्दन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन

• वक्षसि: on the chest
• वक्षसि: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वक्षस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• हरिणा: with/by Hari
• हरिणा: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन

• विष्णुना: with/by Viṣṇu
• विष्णुना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विष्णु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (करण/सह), एकवचन

• अंसौ: (both) shoulders
• अंसौ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्विवचन, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (रूपसाम्य)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• वैष्णव-आचमनम्: Vaiṣṇava sipping-rite (ācamana)
• वैष्णव-आचमनम्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वैष्णव (प्रातिपदिक) + आचमन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता/विधेय), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (वैष्णवस्य आचमनम्)

• तु: indeed/but
• तु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात (particle), विरोध/विशेषार्थ

• इदम्: this
• इदम्: Visheshya (विशेष्य)
• Type: Noun
• Root: इदम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

Speaker

Sanatkumara (teaching Narada the technical procedure of Vaiṣṇava ācamana)

Vrata Kalpa

Vrata: none

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhakti

Characters & Entities

• Acyuta
• Janardana
• Hari
• Vishnu

FAQs

What is the spiritual significance of this verse in Narada Purana?

It links bodily purification to remembrance of Viṣṇu through specific divine names, making ācamana not only a hygiene/ritual act but a bhakti-infused sanctification of the body.

How does this verse explain the path of devotion (Bhakti)?

By prescribing the Lord’s names during the act, the verse turns a routine rite into continuous Viṣṇu-smaraṇa (remembrance), showing that devotion is practiced through disciplined daily actions.

What practical Vedic knowledge (Vedanga) is highlighted here?

It highlights kalpa-style ritual instruction (procedure and placement: navel, chest, shoulders) and correct mantra-application, a technical aspect of Vedic/Smārta-Vaiṣṇava practice.